7th Armored Division (France)
Encyclopedia
The 7th Armoured Division was an armoured division of the French Army
. The division was active during the Cold War
and some time after the fall of the Berlin Wall
, before being disbanded. Its traditions were carried on by the 7th Armoured Brigade
.
armoured cars and AMX-13
tanks.
In early 1956 the division was transferred to French North Africa, where its soldiers served as infantry supporting French operations in the Algerian War. In late 1956 the division was hurriedly reunited with its tanks and armoured cars to take part in Operation Musketeer
, the invasion of Egypt
by Franco-British forces. It then returned to Algeria where it remained until 1961.
The division was transferred to Metropolitan France, with its headquarters at Besançon
, forming part of I Corps
. The division was renamed, becoming the 7e Division Légère Blindée (7th Light Armoured Division). It became simply the 7e Division Blindée (7th Armoured Division) in 1963 when the 8th Motorised Infantry Brigade joined the division. In the 1970s the French Army returned to the idea of smaller, more flexible divisions, the idea which had originally led to the creation of the division. It was selected to test the new ideas, and its 7th Mechanised Brigade did much of the experimental work.
With the adoption of the new divisional structure in 1977, the 7th Armoured Division was dissolved and the new 7th Armoured, as well as the 4th Armoured and 8th Infantry Divisions, was created from the remains. The new division continued to be based at Besançon. It was later reassigned from I Corps, at Metz
to III Corps at Lille
. It too was reorganised on 1 July 1999, as part of the changes which followed the end of the Cold War and the professionalisation of the French Army, to create the new 7th Armoured Brigade which carries on the traditions of the 7th Armoured.
French Army
The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...
. The division was active during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
and some time after the fall of the Berlin Wall
Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was a barrier constructed by the German Democratic Republic starting on 13 August 1961, that completely cut off West Berlin from surrounding East Germany and from East Berlin...
, before being disbanded. Its traditions were carried on by the 7th Armoured Brigade
7th Armoured Brigade (France)
The 7th Armoured Brigade is an armoured unit of the French Army. It carries on the traditions and honours of the 7th Armoured Division.- Composition :*The Squadron Light and Investigation of Verdun "The eyes of the general"...
.
History
The division was created in 1955 as the 7e Division Mecanique Rapide (7th Fast Mechanised Division), commanded by General François Huet and based in Germany. It was an experimental formation of the French Army and served to test of new structures and tactics for the expected nuclear battlefield and also new weapons, being the first large unit equipped with the new, light-weight Panhard EBRPanhard EBR
The Panhard EBR is a light armoured car designed by Panhard for the French Army and later used across the globe, notably by the French Army during the Algerian War and the Portuguese Army during the Portuguese Colonial War in Angola, Mozambique and Guinea-Bissau.The EBR is an 8x8 wheeled...
armoured cars and AMX-13
AMX-13
The AMX-13 is a French light tank produced from 1953 to 1985. It served with the French Army and was exported to over twenty-five other nations...
tanks.
In early 1956 the division was transferred to French North Africa, where its soldiers served as infantry supporting French operations in the Algerian War. In late 1956 the division was hurriedly reunited with its tanks and armoured cars to take part in Operation Musketeer
Operation Musketeer (1956)
Operation Musketeer was the Anglo-French-Israeli plan for the invasion of Egypt to capture the Suez Canal during the Suez Crisis. Israel had the additional objective to open the Straits of Tiran.-The operation:...
, the invasion of Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
by Franco-British forces. It then returned to Algeria where it remained until 1961.
The division was transferred to Metropolitan France, with its headquarters at Besançon
Besançon
Besançon , is the capital and principal city of the Franche-Comté region in eastern France. It had a population of about 237,000 inhabitants in the metropolitan area in 2008...
, forming part of I Corps
I Corps (France)
The I Corps was first formed before World War I. During World War II it fought in the Campaign for France in 1940, on the Mediterranean islands of Corsica and Elba in 1943 - 1944, and in the campaigns to liberate France in 1944 and invade Germany in 1945....
. The division was renamed, becoming the 7e Division Légère Blindée (7th Light Armoured Division). It became simply the 7e Division Blindée (7th Armoured Division) in 1963 when the 8th Motorised Infantry Brigade joined the division. In the 1970s the French Army returned to the idea of smaller, more flexible divisions, the idea which had originally led to the creation of the division. It was selected to test the new ideas, and its 7th Mechanised Brigade did much of the experimental work.
With the adoption of the new divisional structure in 1977, the 7th Armoured Division was dissolved and the new 7th Armoured, as well as the 4th Armoured and 8th Infantry Divisions, was created from the remains. The new division continued to be based at Besançon. It was later reassigned from I Corps, at Metz
Metz
Metz is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place...
to III Corps at Lille
Lille
Lille is a city in northern France . It is the principal city of the Lille Métropole, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country behind those of Paris, Lyon and Marseille. Lille is situated on the Deûle River, near France's border with Belgium...
. It too was reorganised on 1 July 1999, as part of the changes which followed the end of the Cold War and the professionalisation of the French Army, to create the new 7th Armoured Brigade which carries on the traditions of the 7th Armoured.
1955 to
- 2e Régiment de Dragons (2e RD)
- Régiment Colonial de Chasseurs de Chars (RCCC)
- 3e Régiment de Chasseurs d'Afrique (3e RCA)
- 21e Régiment d'Infanterie Coloniale (21e RIC)
- 72e Groupe d'Artillerie
- 457e Groupe d'Artillerie
- 57e Bataillon du Génie
- 57e Bataillon des services
- 57e Compagnie de quartier général
- 57e Compagnie de réparation divisionnaire
- 2e Groupe aéromobile
1963 to 1977
As 7e Brigade Mécanisé of 7e Division Blindée- 1er Régiment de Dragons (1er RD) Armoured Regiment
- 30e Régiment de Dragons (30e RD) Armoured Regiment
- 35e Régiment d'Infanterie (35e RI) Infantry Regiment
- 1er Régiment d'Artillerie (1er RA) Artillery Regiment
1977 to 1999
As 7e Division Blindée- 3e Régiment de Cuiriassiers3rd Cuirassier Regiment (France)The 3rd Cuirassier Regiment was a cavalry regiment of the French Army, later reequipped as an armored regiment.- Ancien Régime :Timoléon de Sercourt d’Esclainvilliers inherited his fathers company of Light horse in 1635, when he was three years old...
(3e RC) Armoured Regiment - 1er Régiment de Dragons (1er RD) Armoured Regiment
- 5e Régiment de Dragons5th Dragoon RegimentThe 5th Dragoon Regiment was a cavalry unit in the French Army, created under the Ancien Régime in 1656 and dissolved in 2003...
(5e RD) Armoured Regiment - 35e Régiment d'Infanterie (35e RI) Infantry Regiment
- 170e Régiment d'Infanterie (170e RI) Infantry Regiment
- (to 1990) 30e Groupe de Chasseurs (30e GC) Infantry Regiment
- 1er Régiment d'Artillerie (1er RA) Artillery Regiment
- (to 1993) 60e Régiment d'Artillerie (40e RA) Artillery Regiment
- (from 1993) 32e Régiment d'Artillerie (32e RA) Artillery Regiment
- 19e Régiment du Génie (19e RG) Engineer Regiment
- 7e Régiment de commandement et de Soutien (7e RCS) Command and Signals Regiment